Methamphetamine is commonly known as Crystal Meth, Meth, and Speed. It is a neurotoxin and potent psychostimulant that is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obesity. It exists as both dextromethamphetamine and levomethamphetamine. Dextromethamphetamine is a stronger central nervous stimulant than levomethamphetamine; however, both are highly addictive and produce the same toxicity symptoms at high doses. Although rarely prescribed due to the risks, methamphetamine hydrochloride is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, under the trade name Desoxyn. The picture below represents the mathamphetamine molecule.
Recreationally, meth is used to:
Increase sexual desire
Lift the mood
Increase energy
Which allow users to engage in sexual activity continuously for several days straight.
In low doses, methamphetamine can cause:
Elevated mood
Increased alertness
Concentration
Energy in fatigued individuals
In higher doses it can induce:
Psychosis
Rhabdomyolysis
Cerebral hemorrhage
Methamphetamine is known for its high potential for addiction and abuse. It is also more likely to take user who quit for a ride with its often occurring post-withdrawal syndrome.
Post-withdrawal Syndrome is a syndrome that can persist for months beyond the typical withdrawal period. Unlike cocaine, methamphetamine is neurotoxic to humans, which roughly translates to chemically induced permanent brain alterations, as well as damages to your central nervous system by inducing damage to both dopamine and serotonin neurons.
Get comfy because the list of side effects will take at least 3 minutes to read fully:
Physical The physical side effects of methamphetamine can include:
Anorexia
Hyperactivity
Dilated pupils
Flushed skin
Excessive sweating
Increased movement
Dry mouth and bruxism (leading to meth mouth)
Headache
Irregular heartbeat
Rapid breathing
High or low blood pressure
High body temperature
Diarrhea
Constipation
Blurred vision
Dizziness
Twitching
Numbness
Tremors
Dry skin
Acne
Pallor
Meth Mouth Methamphetamine users and addicts may lose their teeth abnormally quickly, regardless of the route of administration, from a condition known as meth mouth. The condition is generally more severe in users who inject the drug, rather than those who smoke, ingest or inhale it.
Psychological The psychological effects of methamphetamine can induce:
Euphoria
Dysphoria
Changes in libido
Alertness
Apprehension
Concentration
Decreased sense of fatigue
Insomnia
Self-confidence
Sociability
Irritability
Restlessness
Grandiosity
Repetitive and obsessive behaviors
Anxiety
Depression
Psychosis
Suicide
Violent behaviors
High rate of addiction
Neurotoxicity Methamphetamine is directly neurotoxic to dopamine neurons. Moreover, methamphetamine abuse is associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease. Similar to the neurotoxic effect on the dopamine system, methamphetamine can also result in neurotoxicity to serotonin neurons. It has been demonstrated that a high core temperature is correlated with an increase in the neurotoxic effects of methamphetamine. As a result of the effect to dopamine neurons, chronic use may lead to post acute withdrawal which persist beyond the withdrawal period for months, even up to a year.
Dependence, Addiction and Withdrawal Tolerance is expected to develop with regular methamphetamine use, and when abused, this tolerance develops rapidly. In highly dependant amphetamine and methamphetamine abusers, "when chronic heavy users abruptly discontinue [methamphetamine] use, many report a time-limited withdrawal syndrome that occurs within 24 hours of their last dose."
There is an 87.6% rate of users who suffer from withdrawal. Withdrawal persists for three to four weeks with a marked "crash" phase during the first week.
Withdrawal symptoms can include:
Anxiety
Drug craving
Dysphoric mood
Fatigue
Increased appetite
Increased movement
Decreased movement
Lack of motivation
Sleeplessness
Sleepiness
Vivid dreams
Lucid dreams
The severity of the withdrawal symptoms are correlated to the tolerance and dependence of the user.
Overdose An overdose on methamphetamine intoxication may result in many symptoms. A moderate overdose of methamphetamine may induce symptoms such as:
Abnormal heart rhythm
Confusion
Dysuria
High or low blood pressure
Hyperthermia
Hyperreflexia
Myalgia
Severe agitation
Tremor
Urinary hesitancy
Urinary retention
A methamphetamine overdose will likely also result in mild brain damage, due to the dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotoxicity
Death from fatal methamphetamine poisoning is typically preceded by convulsions and coma.
The picture below represents the mathamphetamine molecule.
Recreationally, meth is used to:
Which allow users to engage in sexual activity continuously for several days straight.
In low doses, methamphetamine can cause:
In higher doses it can induce:
Methamphetamine is known for its high potential for addiction and abuse. It is also more likely to take user who quit for a ride with its often occurring post-withdrawal
syndrome.
Post-withdrawal Syndrome is a syndrome that can persist for months beyond the typical withdrawal period. Unlike cocaine, methamphetamine is neurotoxic to humans, which roughly translates to chemically induced permanent brain alterations, as well as damages to your central nervous system by inducing damage to both dopamine and serotonin neurons.
Get comfy because the list of side effects will take at least 3 minutes to read fully:
Physical
The physical side effects of methamphetamine can include:
Meth Mouth
Methamphetamine users and addicts may lose their teeth abnormally quickly, regardless of the route of administration, from a condition known as meth mouth. The condition is generally more severe in users who inject the drug, rather than those who smoke, ingest or inhale it.
Psychological
The psychological effects of methamphetamine can induce:
Neurotoxicity
Methamphetamine is directly neurotoxic to dopamine neurons. Moreover, methamphetamine abuse is associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease. Similar to the neurotoxic effect on the dopamine system, methamphetamine can also result in neurotoxicity to serotonin neurons. It has been demonstrated that a high core temperature is correlated with an increase in the neurotoxic effects of methamphetamine. As a result of the effect to dopamine neurons, chronic use may lead to post acute withdrawal which persist beyond the withdrawal period for months, even up to a year.
Dependence, Addiction and Withdrawal
Tolerance is expected to develop with regular methamphetamine use, and when abused, this tolerance develops rapidly.
In highly dependant amphetamine and methamphetamine abusers, "when chronic heavy users abruptly discontinue [methamphetamine] use, many report a time-limited withdrawal syndrome that occurs within 24 hours of their last dose."
There is an 87.6% rate of users who suffer from withdrawal. Withdrawal persists for three to four weeks with a marked "crash" phase during the first week.
Withdrawal symptoms can include:
The severity of the withdrawal symptoms are correlated to the tolerance and dependence of the user.
Overdose
An overdose on methamphetamine intoxication may result in many symptoms. A moderate overdose of methamphetamine may induce symptoms such as:
A methamphetamine overdose will likely also result in mild brain damage, due to the dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotoxicity
Death from fatal methamphetamine poisoning is typically preceded by convulsions and coma.
References
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/49/Methamphetamine3Dan.gif
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methamphetamine
http://www.jcsd.org/Meth%20Symptoms.htm
Top